No matter your age, interests or budget, you’ll find something fun to do in St. Louis this weekend.
St. Louis – or shall we specify, St. Louis breweries – have a way of lifting one’s spirits, and people from all walks of life travel from near and far to make memories over a pint.
Ours is a city built on brewing, and today, a tight-knit community of entrepreneurial brewers celebrate the region’s historical roots, share a respect for traditional brewing methods and applaud each other’s innovative advances.
As you explore the local beer scene, we hope that you’ll raise a glass at one of our favorite St. Louis breweries.
Nothing beats garage hangs with friends and family – especially when 2nd Shift suds are involved. Working as a machinist, welder and fabricator, Steve Crider started homebrewing as his “second shift” – which inspired the name of the brewery when he opened it with his wife, Libby Crider, in 2009. “Now, the brewery is all of our shifts,” she says. “We’re family-focused and family-friendly. No matter your preferences, we can accommodate. We just want to take care of you.” From a light Kölsch to a coffee stout and a hazy IPA to a seasonal lager, 2nd Shift Brewing serves high-quality beer in a variety of styles. Want to surprise your taste buds? Every April Fool’s Day, 2nd Shift Brewing releases a foeder-aged sour with pickle spices. “It’s kind of out there,” Libby says with a laugh, “but it’s really delicious.”
Flagship Pint: Art of Neurosis, 2nd Shift Brewing’s first commercial release, is an old-school malty IPA that blends earthiness, bitterness and tropical fruit flavors. It’s the brewery’s workhorse and worth a taste.
With three buzzy locations in the St. Louis region, 4 Hands Brewing Co. elevates the drinking experience with local eats and all-ages entertainment. A pint away from Busch Stadium, the original tasting room in LaSalle Park features industrial chic décor with exposed brick and arcade games lining the walls, while 4 Hands at The District encompasses a sun-soaked courtyard with two open-air pavilions, a turf viewing field, a 20-by-11-foot LED screen and a 70-foot stage. The latter also has a walk-up counter operated by Hi-Pointe Drive-In, which specializes in hamburgers, French fries and milkshakes. At the newest tasting room in Kirkwood, you can feast on a selection of seafood from Peacemaker Lobster & Crab Co. in the beautifully landscaped backyard. No matter where you stop, you’ll find an ever-evolving lineup of craft beer that will quench your cravings.
Flagship Pint: City Wide – an American pale ale touted as “the beer we drink, and the people we serve” – gives back to the community.
Sours put Alpha Brewing Co. on the map. Fruited and barrel-aged, its suds range from sour blonde ale brewed with tangerine to sour black ale aged in Pinot Noir barrels to sour raspberry blonde ale aged in oak foeders. At its bustling brewery and taproom in the Tower Grove South neighborhood, the kitchen dishes out chicken wings, smash burgers and patty melts, leaving you thirsty for more beer. Looking towards the future, Alpha Brewing Co. is committed to a sustainable business model. A proud member of the Green Dining Alliance, the company offers charging stations for electric cars, fills patio spaces with native plants and partners with New Earth Farm to compost organic waste. Recently, the company opened a second location at the Delmar Maker District, which focuses on spirits, such as Squoosh, a fruited vodka. Beer devotees need not worry, though; the “brewstillery” also has 10 taps dedicated to Alpha Brewing Co. suds.
Flagship Pint: For a beer that’s seven percent ABV, Parity Error is surprisingly easy to drink. It’s the taproom’s bestseller, delighting IPA enthusiasts with its hop-forward, citrus-centric flavor profile.
Founded in the 1850s as a small neighborhood brewery, Anheuser-Busch quickly transformed from a local fixture into a national presence. Today, it serves as a hub for brewing innovation, using the highest-quality ingredients grown by American farmers to produce umpteen brands of beer. St. Louis is home to the titan’s flagship brewery, which operates out of elaborate, red-brick buildings. Hop on a tour for a glimpse inside them. Each tour explains the life of an Anheuser-Busch beer from seed to glass – the Finisher Tour will even give you a taste of beer straight from the finishing cellars – and they end at the Anheuser-Busch Biergarten where you can enjoy a cold one on the house!
Flagship Pint: Budweiser, known as the King of Beers, is brewed using a distinctive beechwood aging process that imparts smoothness and complexity to its flavor profile.
A delicious addition to Florissant, Narrow Gauge Brewing Co. has a robust lineup of lagers, ales, IPAs, porters, stouts and sours, so you’re bound to find a brew that appeals to your palate. Curious quaffers might also consider the mixed fermentation bottles – each with its own intricate and exciting story. The Begin Anew Blend #5, for instance, is a sour blonde ale, foeder-fermented and wine barrel-aged for 15 months. It was then aged on a bed of boysenberries and red and black currants for an additional nine months before it was bottled. Melomel, a type of mead fermented with clover honey and a variety of fresh fruits – think boysenberries, cherries, black currants and marionberries – is also sold in bottles at the brewery’s new taproom. What will you try first?
Flagship Pint: With a citrusy flavor and floral aroma, OJ Run is a popular choice. The imperial hazy IPA is dry hopped with Citra, Galaxy and Amarillo.
Producing certified-organic brews in Alton, Illinois, Old Bakery Beer Co. doesn’t favor a specific style. “Our commitment to sustainability opens the door to different local ingredients that work with a variety of styles,” co-founder Lauren Pattan explains. “Organic ingredients are typically associated with healthy eating, and beer is obviously not a health food. We choose organic because of the biodiversity benefits.” The artsy-industrial, family-friendly brewery also serves a full food menu – crispy, fatty and salty, the smoked wings with Alabama white barbecue sauce pair perfectly with a light, refreshing beer like the Bluff City Lager. The bready, malty characteristics of both the Companion pretzels and the Oktoberfest lager make for a comforting snack, and don’t sleep on the bacon jam burger with a classic porter! Vegan? Rotating bites range from sweet and spicy Brussels sprouts to Thai peanut tacos to a fried “chicken” sandwich with pickle chips. “Located on the Great River Road, Alton is a quick jaunt from St. Louis,” Pattan says. “It’s a great way to connect with our historic rivers – any time of the year – and Old Bakery Beer Co. will happily fuel your journey.”
Flagship Pint: Cirtus Wheat, an American-style wheat beer with lemon peel, orange peel and coriander, is a sunshine-soaked pour that captures the zest of summer in every sip.
With more than a decade of brewing expertise, Perennial Artisan Ales crafts everything from lagers to IPAs and saisons to stouts. “It’s only seasonal, but Abraxas put us on the national map,” brewer-owner Phil Wymore explains. “It’s a Mexican chocolate stout with hints of ancho chile peppers, cacao nibs, cinnamon sticks and vanilla beans, which together, create a warming experience when you’re relaxing around an autumn campfire.” Open since 2011, the original South City location of Perennial Artisan Ales is a laid-back, family-friendly expanse where you can snuggle on a porch swing or compete in a cornhole tournament while savoring Italian-inspired sandwiches on fluffy focaccia alongside irresistible suds. The newer outpost, Perennial on Lockwood, resembles an English pub, where Jesse Mendica, executive chef of Olive + Oak – which shares a space with the brewery – helps oversee the food menu. Pick and choose the ingredients for a charcuterie board, which Wymore suggests pairing with Tidewater Plains (a hazy pale ale) or dig into the seafood gumbo and wash it down with Hot Spur (an English brown ale). The beer-battered fish of the day is also a fan-favorite – best paired with Bowling Trophies (a house corn lager). Each spot has its own unique draw – and different drafts!
Flagship Pint: Paying tribute to the iconic fleur-de-lis symbol of St. Louis, Saison de Lis is brewed with chamomile flowers, adding a soft floral character to its crisp, effervescent profile. Light, aromatic and refreshingly dry, the Belgian-style saison gracefully blends tradition and local inspiration.
Difficult to say but easy to love, Schlafly is a craft beer pioneer in the city with the country’s best beer scene. Although meticulous about consistency, the brewery is in a constant state of exploration, and its repertoire of more than 60 styles of beer ranges from classic to experimental. Enjoy pale ale, oatmeal stout, raspberry hefeweizen, Mexican lager and more at the historic Schlafly Tap Room in Downtown West or Schlafly Bottleworks in Maplewood. The company also distributes beer in 17 states, if you want to stock your fridge.
Flagship Pint: Easy to drink, refreshing and satisfying, Schlafly’s Pale Ale is the original session beer. It was born of heritage and artistry, giving imbibers a taste of the brewery’s genuine approach to producing great beer.
Praised for its funky, experimental brews, Side Project Brewing has a long list of accolades. In 2020 and 2023, RateBeer named it the No. 2 brewery in the world; in 2015, Side Project Cellar – the company’s Belgian-inspired beer, wine and spirits bar – earned a James Beard Award nomination for Outstanding Bar Program; and in 2014, Forbes put Side Project’s executive chef, Adam Altnether, on its list of 30 under 30. There’s no question that the brewery pushes the boundaries of the region’s beverage scene, and it wants to continue to evolve and move forward. You can get an exclusive taste of Side Project’s creations at any of its three locations – The Cellar, The Brewery and The Patio – all of which are located in Maplewood.
Flagship Pint: Since the taps are always changing, we can’t recommend a “flagship pint,” but we’ll leave you to dream about a wine barrel-aged tart witbier with orange peel and coriander and a Brettanomyces (wild yeast strain) pale ale aged in oak with calamansi, Tanzania and Madagascar vanilla and toasted coconut.
“St. Louis was built on beer, and the city’s rich history makes the local beer scene vibrant, dynamic and interesting but also competitive,” Robert Aguilar, bar manager and marketing director at Square One Brewery & Distillery, says. “We do things a little differently – we call it tap to table.” The storied establishment – which invented pumpkin beer, by the way – doesn’t can or bottle its beverages; they’re crafted specifically for your glass. Located in a beautifully restored building on the National Register of Historic Places in Lafayette Square, Square One has been continuously brewing for 20 years, and today, its lineup includes everything from a bold, bitter West Coast IPA to a fresh American-style pineapple wheat to a sour and salty Gose with a squeeze of lime. If you still aren’t convinced to visit, Square One has one of the best patios in town, boasting urban biergarten vibes and adorable furry guests – plus, it serves weekend brunch!
Flagship Pint: Square One Brewery & Distillery has six year-round beers, including the Scotch ale, which is a perpetual favorite. Expect a smooth, malty beer with caramel and toffee notes.
Traditionally oriented yet unconventionally minded, Urban Chestnut Brewing Co. pays homage to the heritage of beer with classically crafted European styles while contributing to the revolution of craft beer with modernized, artisanal American styles. The company has a bierhall in The Grove, a biergarten in Midtown and a brewery in Bavaria near the hometown of brewmaster Florian Kuplent. At every location, beer-lovers gather around pints that feature the brewery’s proprietary yeast strains, which give its products unrivaled flavor.
Flagship Pint: Zwickel is the star of Urban Chestnut’s Reverence Series featuring timeless, European-style beers. Bready, lightly hopped and naturally cloudy, the classic Bavarian lager has a smooth finish. Prost!
This is only the beginning. For a complete list of local breweries, visit STL Beer’s website. Prost!
